Cuppa Coffee Celebrates 40 Years with Ontario Place

The Cuppa Coffee broadcast design team continues to enjoy a booming summer season, having recently completed four animated spots to help Ontario Place celebrate their 40th anniversary by promoting the 2011 season!

The Cuppa Coffee broadcast design team continues to enjoy a booming summer season, having recently completed four animated spots to help Ontario Place celebrate their 40th anniversary by promoting the 2011 season! Capitalizing on the slogan “It’s more fun by the water” the spots feature two 2D animated fish waxing comedic on the new and improved perks of the park, including an expanded waterpark and new IMAX 3D capabilities at the Cinesphere. Three of the spots will air on TV and the fourth will be used to open the Cinesphere, and will play before every single showing.

A combination of traditional frame-by-frame, 2D AfterEffects, CG, toon shading and traditional cell, the designs are based on the work of Toronto artist Ryan Snook. Each TV spot culminates in a 3D rendered topical view of the entire park, complete with moving rides and animated people having fun. According to Cuppa Coffee producer Morghan Fortier, this was the most challenging shot. “It was like we were recreating the Lord of the Rings battle scenes,” she jokes. “We did the camera moves in 3D and then added supplemental animation and a population of people to match!” For Director Hector Herrera, the spots represent a departure from the typical Ontario Place advertising. “If you look at all the other park advertisements, they utilize live-action shots of families on rides and kids having fun in the park,” he explains. “This is a bold new interpretive animated approach!”

It’s been a busy summer for the studio so far, having recently completed a TV spot for Service Ontario, and currently producing several TV show opens. For Cuppa Coffee President Adam Shaheen, the continued success of the broadcast design department is due to a great design sense, strong work ethic and winning track record “We have a history of getting the work done and exceeding client expectations. That not only keeps our clients coming back, but also referring our services to others!”